Super Bowl LIX is not just a highly anticipated sporting event where the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will clash; it’s also the stage for another fierce competition – the battle of the brands. For advertisers, securing a spot during the Super Bowl broadcast is like aiming for a touchdown in the advertising world. Millions of dollars ride on the success of these commercials, but How Much Do these coveted air times actually cost, and why are companies willing to pay such a premium?
The Soaring Price of Super Bowl Ad Time in 2025
For Super Bowl LIX in 2025, advertisers had to shell out an average of nearly $8 million for a 30-second commercial slot. This figure, revealed by Peter Bray, founder of Bray & Co. ad agency, to CBS MoneyWatch, marks a significant increase from previous years. To put it in perspective, a 30-second spot during Super Bowl 2024 cost around $7 million, and the same duration in 2023 also commanded approximately $7 million. This represents a staggering 55% jump from just 2019, highlighting the consistently escalating costs of Super Bowl advertising.
Alt text: Dunkin’ Super Bowl ad 2024 featuring Ben Affleck, Tom Brady, and Matt Damon in tracksuits, highlighting celebrity endorsements in Super Bowl commercials.
Bray estimates that around 51 minutes of advertising were sold during the approximately three to four-hour broadcast this year. This massive amount of ad time translates to hundreds of millions of dollars in total ad sales, with Bray predicting that within three years, Super Bowl ad sales could reach an unprecedented $1 billion. “I think in three years it’s going to hit a billion dollars in ad sales. And that has never before happened on the planet. That is the immensity of this event,” he stated.
Decoding the High Cost: Why Are Super Bowl Commercials So Expensive?
The Super Bowl is more than just a football game; it’s a cultural phenomenon, and for the advertising industry, it’s their own “Super Bowl,” as Bray aptly describes. It’s that rare moment when the general public actively anticipates and discusses advertisements. This heightened attention is a major factor driving up the cost.
In today’s fragmented media landscape, reaching a vast audience simultaneously is increasingly challenging. Social media, while powerful, often leads to audience duplication across platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The Super Bowl broadcast, however, offers a unique opportunity to capture a massive, undivided audience. More than 120 million viewers were projected to tune into Super Bowl LIX, broadcast on Fox and streamed on Tubi, presenting advertisers with unparalleled reach.
Alt text: Super Bowl LIX ad preview showcasing the anticipation and excitement surrounding Super Bowl commercials and the advertising industry’s Super Bowl event.
To capitalize on this massive viewership, brands aim to create memorable “cultural moments.” They often employ humor, emotional storytelling, and celebrity cameos to resonate with the audience and spark conversations. Celebrity endorsements, while adding significant costs, are a popular strategy. Depending on their fame, celebrities can command anywhere from under $50,000 for brief appearances to millions of dollars, with Bray estimating an average celebrity fee of around $2 million for a Super Bowl spot.
Dunkin’s Big Bet on Super Bowl Ads: A Winning Strategy
Dunkin’ is a prime example of a brand that has successfully leveraged Super Bowl advertising to achieve significant impact. Their multi-year campaign featuring Ben Affleck demonstrates the potential return on investment for these high-cost commercials. For their 2024 Super Bowl ad, featuring Affleck alongside Matt Damon and Tom Brady as “The DunKings,” Dunkin’ went all-in on celebrity appeal and humor.
Ben Affleck’s connection to Dunkin’ as a Boston native and genuine fan, combined with the comedic element and cameos from other A-list celebrities, proved to be a winning formula. The initial 30-second spot in 2023, which included a Jennifer Lopez cameo, generated a staggering 7 billion impressions for Dunkin’ after its first airing. This success led to further campaigns and culminated in the highly anticipated 2024 Super Bowl ad, reinforcing the brand’s cultural relevance and driving significant brand engagement.
Alt text: Super Bowl LIX matchup between Chiefs and Eagles, illustrating the high-stakes sporting event that provides a platform for expensive and impactful advertising.
Bray highlights Dunkin’s strategic use of celebrity personas, noting that they connect celebrities’ public images, rather than just their acting roles, to the brand. This approach, exemplified by Jeremy Strong’s “method actor” persona in another Dunkin’ ad, creates a powerful and memorable advertising impact.
Super Bowl Ticket Prices vs. Commercial Costs: A Contrasting Trend
Interestingly, while Super Bowl commercial costs continue to rise, ticket prices for attending the game in person saw a slight decrease in 2025. StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli noted that the average ticket price on their platform was around $7,100, approximately 17% lower compared to the previous year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas.
This price drop can be attributed to several factors. The larger seating capacity of Caesars Superdome in New Orleans compared to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas played a role. Travel costs and potential “Super Bowl fatigue,” particularly among Kansas City Chiefs fans attending their fifth Super Bowl in six years, also contributed to the ticket price adjustment. However, Budelli anticipated prices to increase closer to game day, a typical trend for major events like the Super Bowl due to limited ticket availability and high demand.
A Look Back: The Historical Cost of Super Bowl Commercials
The history of Super Bowl ads dates back to the very first Super Bowl in 1967. Back then, a 30-second spot cost $37,500 on NBC and $42,500 on CBS. Since then, Super Bowl ad prices have largely followed an upward trajectory, crossing the $1 million mark in 1995 and reaching $5 million by 2017. This historical perspective underscores the immense growth in the value and perceived importance of Super Bowl advertising over the decades.
Super Bowl Ad Extremes: Most and Least Expensive
How much do the most and least expensive Super Bowl ads cost? On the high end, Amazon’s “Mind Reader” ad from Super Bowl LVI in 2022 holds the title of the most expensive Super Bowl commercial ever. This 90-second spot, featuring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost, reportedly cost a staggering $26 million to produce.
Conversely, the cheapest Super Bowl ad on record is a 30-second commercial by startup LifeMinders.com in 2000. Created in-house with a budget of less than $5,000, this remarkably low-budget ad effectively drove traffic to their website, demonstrating that even with limited resources, a Super Bowl ad can generate significant attention.
Conclusion: The Enduring Value of Super Bowl Advertising
Despite the astronomical costs, Super Bowl commercials remain a highly sought-after and valuable advertising platform. The unparalleled reach, cultural impact, and potential for brand building justify the multi-million dollar investments for many major companies. How much do Super Bowl commercials cost? A lot, but for brands seeking to make a big splash and capture the attention of a massive audience, it’s often considered money well spent.
